Private Sector Advisor Full Time NEW

The Opportunity

The Private Sector Advisor will lead PIE’s strategic shift toward market-based sustainable solutions and both the development of and access to dignified employment of all types. They will work with private sector companies investors, and development partners etc. In addition, the post holder will play a key role in driving business growth via resource mobilization through the development of commercially viable proposals, business cases, and investment opportunities to attract funding and partnerships with private sector actors, investors, and financial institutions. The post holder will further ensure effective integration of market-based approaches, investment thinking, and partnerships with businesses to deliver sustainable impact at scale.

The role will position the organisation as a credible, market-aware actor, capable of mobilising private capital, enabling inclusive business models, and unlocking systemic change to deliver inclusive economic growth, particularly in sectors such as youth employment, climate resilient livelihoods, WASH, and education, particularly for girls and young women.

PROBLEM SOLVING

• A systems-based approach to problems
• Provide economic analysis of key sectors (e.g. MSMEs, value chains, labour markets) to inform programming
• Identify systemic market constraints (e.g. access to finance, demand aggregation, productivity barriers) and develop strategic responses
• Analyze value chains and opportunities for suitable private sector focused opportunities
• Deliver private sector growth and job creation, from Ethiopian MSMEs, both new and existing
• Develop and deliver approaches for overseas investors and companies to deliver sustainable economic growth and dignified jobs across Ethiopia.
• Translate market insights into scalable business models and partnership opportunities and deliver upon hose opportunities
• Develop innovative, scalable solutions that attract private sector participation and investment
• Work through the full private sector support process including investment thesis development, fund concept design, enterprise pipeline development, investment-readiness support, partnership with financial institutions or fund managers and technical assistance support for investable enterprises.

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

Strategic Leadership – Private Sector and Market Systems

• Lead the development of PIE’s private sector engagement and economic development strategy
• Deliver, at scale, against that strategy for the benefit of women and youth in particular
• Position PIE within Ethiopia as a credible partner for private sector collaboration and market systems development
• Drive integration of market systems development, climate-resilient livelihoods, youth employment systems, innovation in digital skills and digital financial inclusion.
• Design and operationalize partnership models including: inclusive supply chains, last-mile market delivery mechanisms and workforce development partnerships
• Incorporate, and advise senior management on, emerging trends in blended finance, impact investment, and private capital mobilization
• Provide technical inputs into business development strategies and donor engagement.
• Integrate Market Systems Development (MSD), systems thinking, and scalability into program design.
• Drive the development of high-quality, competitive business proposals, investment cases, and partnership models to mobilize private capital and strategic partnerships
• Establish and manage a strategic pipeline of private sector partnerships, ensuring alignment with market opportunities and long-term sustainability
• Ensure commercial viability and financial sustainability are embedded in all market-based initiatives and partnership models

Program Quality Assurance

• Ensure provable and strong quality of delivery via results measurement.
• Lead staff and partner capacity building on MSD, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion etc.
• Promote innovation, learning, and adaptive management.

Networking, Representation and Relationship Building

• Represent PIE in relevant high-level forums and with relevant donors/investors and business groups such as Chambers of Commerce.
• Build partnerships with other actors across the sector and across Plan globally.
• Influence policy and practice to promote inclusive, gender-responsive economic systems.

Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI)

• Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
• Ensures that the team members under supervision are properly inducted on and understands their role in upholding Plan International’s safeguarding and GEI policies;
• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in day-to-day work.
• Ensures that Plan Ethiopia contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.

NOTE THAT HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS OR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND IS A REQUIREMENT FOR THIS ROLE. HAVING A BACKGROUND IN DEVELOPMENT OR HUMANITARIAN WORK IS NOT A REQUIREMENT.

Qualifications/ experience essential:

• Degree in Economics or similar relevant qualification.
• Minimum of 7 years of strong relevant experience in private sector, market systems development, investment, or economic development roles, with demonstrated leadership responsibility
• Proven experience in developing and managing strategic partnerships with private sector actors, investors, or financial institutions
• Strong experience in Market Systems Development and related approaches
• Successful experience of attracting investment and developing comprehensive business plans to support investment, with a range of financial service providers
• A willingness to work across both private sector and development actors
• Understanding of Climate issues as they relate to business opportunities is an advantage
• Strong practical experience and ability to analyse labor markets, value chains, and economic ecosystems.
• An understanding, or willingness to develop an understanding, of Ethiopian labor markets, youth employment and private sector policies, enterprise development frameworks, and national economic priorities
• Demonstrated leadership experience providing strategic direction, technical oversight, and capacity strengthening to teams etc.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, including strong analytical writing, donor-facing documentation, and high-level technical presentations

Qualifications/ experience Desirable:

• Experience promoting future-oriented and inclusive economic pathways, such as green jobs, digital livelihoods, circular economy models, and climate-adaptive enterprises.
• Coaching and mentoring experience to foster a culture of accountability, learning, and continuous improvement.
• Prior experience in development or humanitarian work is not required.